Concern Grows Over Open Weapons At Festivals

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Following the recent approval of gun owners to openly carry handguns at the Arts, Beats & Eats festival Labor Day Weekend, some are concerned about the gun issue with upcoming Jazz Festival in Detroit.

Labor Day weekend promises a number of family friendly events around Metro Detroit, but potentially dampening the fun at these events is the issue of gun owners openly carrying handguns.

Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee pointed to state law as the deciding factor on the issue. “We have not in the city of the Detroit proper had any challenges to that,” Godbee

“We are currently consulting with our law department to see how our city ordinance comports with the state law,” he said.

He said the way state law is written it is silent on the open carry issue.

“It’s a loophole that I think if the general public understood what it meant, they may demand some different type of action from Lansing,” he said.

On Monday it was decided that guns will be allowed to be worn out in the open at the Arts, Beats & Eats festival September 3-6th.

Following more than three hours of debate Monday night, the Royal Oak City Commission voted to overturn a ban on carrying guns at the Labor Day weekend festival.

After City Attorney Dave Gillam counseled commissioners that proponents of so-called ‘open carry’ gun rights had the law on their side, commissioners voted 4-3 to lift the ban.

As for how the public will react to the news, Arts Beats & Eats promoter Jonathan Witz said he hopes people who disagree with the decision will still attend the event, so charities that receive proceeds will still benefit.

Witz also said he doubts the decision will lead to more people carrying guns at the event.